Adjudications
Below can be found adjudications from the band's recent appearance in competition. Dates of forthcoming concert and competition engagements can be found here
SEWBBA Championships
Saturday April 28th 2018
Willows School, Cardiff
Own Choice Test-Piece: Trittico
Section: Championship
Draw: 5
Placing: 5th
Conductor: Craig Roberts
Adjudication - Dr Robert Childs
Confident start, if a little forceful. 3 - some minor intonation in bar / euph. A few slips (Eb Bass) before 4. Very nice bari to close. Allegro - doesn't sound comfortable. 9 - messy. Mispitching in trombones before 14. 18 - balance issues. 22 - Eb bass: wrong notes. Nice flugel at 23 and good build into 26, if a little loud with balance issues. Ugly troms two bars before 27. 29 - not quite! 30 - good tempo. Some intonation and ensemble issues before 34. A lot of the music doesn't fit (but almost does...). 39 - well organised. 41 - good percussion work and all quite exciting, and builds to a good confident close
Adjudication - David Hurst
A confident opening and good detail but be careful not to force the sounds. There are some tuning issues in the slower passage. 5 - not quite comfortable and ensemble is lacking precision. 20 - solo lines make a good attempt but there is the odd blemish. A big sound at 26 but take care not to overdo the ff. 28 - solo lines generally well played. Some good playing and solo lines were well attempted. There were some issues with tuning, intonation and ensemble precision. Take care also with overdoing the dynamics at ff.
Willows School, Cardiff
Own Choice Test-Piece: Trittico
Section: Championship
Draw: 5
Placing: 5th
Conductor: Craig Roberts
Adjudication - Dr Robert Childs
Confident start, if a little forceful. 3 - some minor intonation in bar / euph. A few slips (Eb Bass) before 4. Very nice bari to close. Allegro - doesn't sound comfortable. 9 - messy. Mispitching in trombones before 14. 18 - balance issues. 22 - Eb bass: wrong notes. Nice flugel at 23 and good build into 26, if a little loud with balance issues. Ugly troms two bars before 27. 29 - not quite! 30 - good tempo. Some intonation and ensemble issues before 34. A lot of the music doesn't fit (but almost does...). 39 - well organised. 41 - good percussion work and all quite exciting, and builds to a good confident close
Adjudication - David Hurst
A confident opening and good detail but be careful not to force the sounds. There are some tuning issues in the slower passage. 5 - not quite comfortable and ensemble is lacking precision. 20 - solo lines make a good attempt but there is the odd blemish. A big sound at 26 but take care not to overdo the ff. 28 - solo lines generally well played. Some good playing and solo lines were well attempted. There were some issues with tuning, intonation and ensemble precision. Take care also with overdoing the dynamics at ff.
Welsh Open Entertainment Championships
Saturday February 18th 2017
Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
Own Choice Programme
Section: Combined Championship & First
Draw: 1
Placing: First Section 5th
Conductor: Nigel Seaman
Adjudication
Home of Legends
Some uncertainties: ensemble in the opening section, but things quickly settle very quickly & we hear some well balanced sounds & lyrical playing on those PLC sweeping melodies.
Bluebells of Scotland
Soloist is confident & displays good control of register & dynamics with a good appreciation of the styles required. Accompaniment is mostly integrated & sympathetic!
Lake of Tenderness
An enjoyable contrasting number. Tutti sounds were warm & confident. Just a few insecurities in ensemble, quieter moments and more exposed passages.
Journey Through America
An "interesting" arrangement. There were moments when ensemble was questionable but the audience enjoyed the popular tunes.
Polovtsian Dances
Good choice of tempo. Not all solo entries settled together & there were examples of untidy ensemble but the music had direction & vitality.
Thank you.
Melvin White
Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
Own Choice Programme
Section: Combined Championship & First
Draw: 1
Placing: First Section 5th
Conductor: Nigel Seaman
Adjudication
Home of Legends
Some uncertainties: ensemble in the opening section, but things quickly settle very quickly & we hear some well balanced sounds & lyrical playing on those PLC sweeping melodies.
Bluebells of Scotland
Soloist is confident & displays good control of register & dynamics with a good appreciation of the styles required. Accompaniment is mostly integrated & sympathetic!
Lake of Tenderness
An enjoyable contrasting number. Tutti sounds were warm & confident. Just a few insecurities in ensemble, quieter moments and more exposed passages.
Journey Through America
An "interesting" arrangement. There were moments when ensemble was questionable but the audience enjoyed the popular tunes.
Polovtsian Dances
Good choice of tempo. Not all solo entries settled together & there were examples of untidy ensemble but the music had direction & vitality.
Thank you.
Melvin White
SEWBBA Championships
South East Wales Brass Band Association Championships
Saturday May 7th 2016
Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil
Own Choice Work: Brass Metamorphosis (James Curnow)
Section: 1
Draw: 6
Placing: 2nd Prize
Adjudication
The opening is solid and I hear good detail. Excellent horn & Flugel, as is Euph.
40 Good tempo and again I hear good detail. This has good drive - just take care at 126 with ensemble
136 is neat & tidy. Super flugel - Bravo!
163 Sop is a little tentative but Horns recover at 171. Well done Euph!
This music has good pace. Excellent detail at 206 and the music has drive.
272 gets a little untidy and it takes a while to recover.
336 Bravo solo lines. Very good balance and your f sound is so warm.
Well done BBb Bass. Solo lines complement each other so well. Overall band sound is balanced and has so much depth.
Super Euph! and what an ending.
Such a polished, detailed and musical performance. Well done M.D. soloists & band
R. Glyn Williams
Saturday May 7th 2016
Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil
Own Choice Work: Brass Metamorphosis (James Curnow)
Section: 1
Draw: 6
Placing: 2nd Prize
Adjudication
The opening is solid and I hear good detail. Excellent horn & Flugel, as is Euph.
40 Good tempo and again I hear good detail. This has good drive - just take care at 126 with ensemble
136 is neat & tidy. Super flugel - Bravo!
163 Sop is a little tentative but Horns recover at 171. Well done Euph!
This music has good pace. Excellent detail at 206 and the music has drive.
272 gets a little untidy and it takes a while to recover.
336 Bravo solo lines. Very good balance and your f sound is so warm.
Well done BBb Bass. Solo lines complement each other so well. Overall band sound is balanced and has so much depth.
Super Euph! and what an ending.
Such a polished, detailed and musical performance. Well done M.D. soloists & band
R. Glyn Williams
SEWBBA Championships
South East Wales Brass Band Association Championships
Saturday November 21st 2015
Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil
Own Choice Work: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)
Section: 1
Draw: 3
Placing: 3rd Prize
Adjudication
Impressive start. Good tutti sound - all transitions work well up to the theme and great dynamic contrasts demonstrated.
Theme - well shaped - fine flugel. Sop unlucky to close
Allegro - good tempo - full of style
158 - Again, a good sense of flow and soloists do well, although it is not without error in pitch and intonation
193 - Good duet. Admirable horn at 207
Allegro con energico 229 - Great impact with fine euph and tuba work to follow. Fine perc too
297 - Vision is rhythmically sound but not always in tune.
Andante - Excellent solo cornet - sets the scene beautifully. Much to admire throughout this section, not lest some beautiful moments from the euphonium - well done.
391 - Works well and leads to an effective Gioiante non pomposo.
Accel is well directed, as is the grandstand finale
Overall an enjoyable show. Moments of intonation and insecure solo lines did detract on occasion, but the musical picture painted was impressive. Thank you band, and especially conductor.
David Childs
Saturday November 21st 2015
Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil
Own Choice Work: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)
Section: 1
Draw: 3
Placing: 3rd Prize
Adjudication
Impressive start. Good tutti sound - all transitions work well up to the theme and great dynamic contrasts demonstrated.
Theme - well shaped - fine flugel. Sop unlucky to close
Allegro - good tempo - full of style
158 - Again, a good sense of flow and soloists do well, although it is not without error in pitch and intonation
193 - Good duet. Admirable horn at 207
Allegro con energico 229 - Great impact with fine euph and tuba work to follow. Fine perc too
297 - Vision is rhythmically sound but not always in tune.
Andante - Excellent solo cornet - sets the scene beautifully. Much to admire throughout this section, not lest some beautiful moments from the euphonium - well done.
391 - Works well and leads to an effective Gioiante non pomposo.
Accel is well directed, as is the grandstand finale
Overall an enjoyable show. Moments of intonation and insecure solo lines did detract on occasion, but the musical picture painted was impressive. Thank you band, and especially conductor.
David Childs
WWBBA Championships
West Wales Brass Band Association Championships
Saturday October 3rd 2015
Memorial Hall, Burry Port
Own Choice Work: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)
Section: 1
Draw: 5
Placing: 2nd Prize
Adjudication
A well toned + balanced introduction.
Theme has a nice vocal quality + is well organised
V1 skips along - but is it 'leggiero'? Poor entry in high cornet b.115/116
V2 Quite a nice horn solo (this is not easy!) + b. trom gives a good bass line. A very secure soprano cornet (untidy pause)
V3 Could use a little more detail in the marks of expression. b.250 onwards, a shade untidy. B.284 could have a better crescendo
V4 is lyrical and well phrased. A very enjoyable variation
V5 has the required energy. 453/454 untidy in crotchets.
A well managed accel & allargando leads to a solid close (great b. trom sound throughout!)
Much to enjoy.
Thank you.
Steve Sykes
Saturday October 3rd 2015
Memorial Hall, Burry Port
Own Choice Work: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)
Section: 1
Draw: 5
Placing: 2nd Prize
Adjudication
A well toned + balanced introduction.
Theme has a nice vocal quality + is well organised
V1 skips along - but is it 'leggiero'? Poor entry in high cornet b.115/116
V2 Quite a nice horn solo (this is not easy!) + b. trom gives a good bass line. A very secure soprano cornet (untidy pause)
V3 Could use a little more detail in the marks of expression. b.250 onwards, a shade untidy. B.284 could have a better crescendo
V4 is lyrical and well phrased. A very enjoyable variation
V5 has the required energy. 453/454 untidy in crotchets.
A well managed accel & allargando leads to a solid close (great b. trom sound throughout!)
Much to enjoy.
Thank you.
Steve Sykes
